Hose reels provide a spool onto which a length of hose may be wound and stored for the convenience of a user. In some instances, the reel is replaced by a partial spool or partial hub which may be fixed to the side of a structure, such as a house, or to a post. In these configurations, whether a reel or a partial spool or hub is used, the purpose is to provide a support for the coiled hose.
Manual hose reels require that once an activity such as watering, washing, fluid dispensing, etc. has been completed, the length of hose that was extended and unwound from the reel is then wound up back onto the reel by hand. This can be achieved by rotating the reel in the proper direction as the extended length of hose wraps itself on the hub of the reel, layer after layer. The rotation of the reel may be performed by directly moving the outer plate end of the spool or may be accomplished by the use of a hand crank that is connected to and rotates the hub of the spool.
In addition to manual reels there are kinetic take-up reels (or simply “take-up” reels) and motor driven reels. Kinetic take-up reels are typically provided with a spring mechanism that stores kinetic energy as the flexible member, e.g. hose is paid out and unwound. When the free end of the flexible member is released, the kinetic energy that is stored in the spring mechanism is used to rotate the reel in a direction that causes the flexible member to be wound back onto the reel. Kinetic take-up reels are typically provided with some type of latch mechanism that will prevent the reel from rotating and rewinding the flexible member until the latch mechanism is released.
There are numerous applications in which a flexible member such as a cable, rope, hose, electrical cord or the like is wound for storage about a take-up reel when not in use. When use of the flexible member is required, an appropriate length of the flexible member it is paid out by unwinding it from the take-up reel. A popular application for this type of mechanism is exemplified by the use of flexible hoses for conducting air, water, oil, grease, antifreeze and the like from a reservoir to a dispensing nozzle. For example, in the typical automobile service station, air is delivered from a compressor tank through a pipe to a spring-loaded take-up reel about which is stored a length of tubular air hose. When air is needed, the air hose is pulled from the reel until the desired length is paid out. When the air hose is no longer in use, the free end is released and a torsional spring acting on the hose reel rewinds the hose back onto the reel.
Portable hose reels are very popular with home owners and particularly gardeners. In portable hose reels the reel is carried by a hand cart or wheeled frame, which can be constructed of a tubular metal or take the form of a molded plastic frame. The purpose of the hand cart, which is normally provided with a pair of wheels, is to enable the length of hose that is disposed on the reel to be moved about the yard or garden area more conveniently. In these arrangements, one end of the hose is connected to a faucet and the other end of the hose remains free while the length of hose in between the two ends is wound onto the reel.
Commercial reels require a number of intricate parts including elements of the basic reel and support structures, the fluid plumbing elements, and rewinding mechanisms. The combination of these various elements and their assembly adds to the overall costs of manufacturing hole reels and increases the possibility of mechanical failure and fluid leakage.
The present invention provides a hose reel that has significantly fewer parts and which can be more easily assembled that present hose reels.